Master Your Mind, Step Up, and Get The Girl!

Virtues before Vices

I have a friend who’s a Gamer (video games, not the other kind), and he recently asked, “How do you have time to write, go to the gym, and play video games? Don’t you work?”

“I dunno,” I told him. “If it’s important enough, you just find the time.”

Now that I’ve had more time to mull it over, I think a more accurate answer would be: “You make time according to how important it is to you.”

Since entering the workforce, I’ve strived to live according to a hierarchy of importance. Work is a given. So are my vices–mostly video games, but sometimes anime too.

But I don’t shirk my social life in favor of my vices.

And I don’t shirk my writing in favor of my social life.

And I don’t shirk my health in favor of my writing.

So by the time I’ve worked out, done some writing, and fully engaged with my family and friends, I hardly ever have time to play video games. I don’t forbid myself–which would probably make me hanker for it even more; I just don’t get around to it very often.

So my life ends up resembling something like this. When I’m single, I average about an hour per month of vidya (mobile, console, and computer combined). And when I’m in a relationship, I average closer to an hour per week since I still go out, but my social demands are fewer and more predictable.

I’m clearly not against consumer indulgences, but if you’re having difficulty meeting women and you consistently spend more than 2 hours a week on your vices, then–and I mean this in the most genuine, agenda-free way–you need to get out more. Seriously. Go out. Work out. And get to work!